


Ocean of Knowledge

by fleurlb



Category: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-23 04:09:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9640124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fleurlb/pseuds/fleurlb
Summary: Rebecca helps Paula study.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mierke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mierke/gifts).



“Neighbor Hatfield has a vegetable patch that extends two feet past the property line as specified in his deed. He has planted rutabegas on that patch for the last five and a half years. Neighbor McCoy has never said anything about this intrusion and has never picked a single rutabaga from the patch, which is surrounded by a chickenwire fence topped with barbed wire. Who owns the land and why?”

Paula blinked and murmured quietly while she repeated the question to herself. Then her eyes opened wide. “Past the property line....Neighbor McCoy owns the land because he bought the damn place and Neighbor Hatfield is a damn trespasser.”

“Uh,” said Rebecca. “Maybe think this one through a little longer.” 

Paula put her head onto the stack of law books in front of her. The conference room smelled of leftover pizza and desperation. “I am never going to learn all of this.”

“Well,” said Rebecca as she sat in a chair and spun around. “The good news is you don't need to know all of it. You just need to know some of it. And sometimes you don't need to know any of it, you just need to know where to look for it.”

“And how, exactly, does that help me on this property test?” asked Paula wearily. 

“It doesn't, but this will. Stand back, because I'm about to drop an OCEAN of knowledge on you!” Rebecca jumped up and made frantic jazz hands while grinning like a deranged jack-o-lantern. 

“Ocean? Like to drown myself in? That seems a rather permanent solution to a temporary problem.”

“No, silly,” said Rebecca, waving her hand. “The OCEAN...it's a mnemonic device. It'll help you remember. Adverse possession is all about OCEANS.”

Paula slumped back in her seat. “I'm afraid you lost me again. Or still... I can't quite tell if I've ever caught up.”

“O, O is for open. You do it right under their noses,” sang Rebecca to a tune that sounded frighteningly close to “One Singular Sensation” but somehow even more dramatic.

“C, C is for continuous, you keep on growing those roses.” She snapped her fingers in a crisp rhythm. 

“I thought he was growing rutabegas,” said Paula. 

“Shhh, it's not important, just listen to the song and learn,” hissed Rebecca before picking up the song like she'd never been interrupted.

“E, E is for exclusive, you don't let anyone else in on the deal.  
A, A is for actual, it's gotta be something that's real.  
  
N, N is for notorious, which like our rapper friend is really big!  
S, S is for statute, which is California is five years, you dig?  
  
Put it all together, and you have the ingredients  
for taking some property without paying the rents.”

Paula watched in disbelief as Rebecca finished off her song with a series of high-kicks that would've put the Rockettes to shame.

“So?” asked Rebecca, slightly out of breath.

“So I think you missed your calling. Definitely should've stayed in the drama world.”

“No... the facts of the case, Paula. Who owns the land?” Rebecca dropped into the nearest chair and fanned herself. 

Paula looked down at her notes but she could hear the song buzzing away in her head. “Neighbor Hatfield! He owns the land because he's been using it, right out in front of everyone, for five years to his exclusive benefit. He owns the land by adverse possession.”

Rebecca clapped her hands. “Bravo!”

Paula smiled and took a small bow, although she knew that the stellar performance was all Rebecca.


End file.
